57 advancing on Mallavi, Thunukkai

Mallavi-Thunukkai advance (linear)- click to enlarge

The 57 Division has advanced upto the general area Mallavi and Thunukkai in the Mullaithivu District, a distance of 45kms into LTTE controlled areas by this evening. The capture of Palampiddi has opened-up the new front in Mallavi, which is a popular route of the Tigers from Mullaithivu to Kilinochchi. As it stands now, the Army is in control of 600km2 in Vavuniya North.

The Army says that since the formation of the 58 Division, around 2000 LTTE cadres have been killed by that Division in the Mannar sector alone. In today's fighting, 58 Division snipers sniped and killed four Tigers in Nedunkandal.

Nedunkandal Map- click to enlarge

6 and 8 Gemunu Watch (GW) have started consolidating the newly captured 300m FDL of the LTTE in the general area Nedunkandal North. The Tiger FDL was decimated by Army Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) yesterday. Gemunu Watch troops were able to discover a large underground bunker at Nedunkandal North.

The 40-foot-deep bunker was the largest ever captured since the start of this war. Troops believe it has sheltered senior LTTE leaders from artillery barrages and air-raids. The underground bunker had been abandoned by the Tigers after yesterday's raid by the SLA.

Meanwhile around 4000 soldiers who deserted their ranks and file have rejoined the Sri Lanka Army. They have taken advantage of the general amnesty declared by the Army, which will end on the 31st of this month.

Tiger fundraising in trouble- RCMP

Tamil Tiger bosses are frustrated with poor fundraising in Canada and the United Kingdom, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police sting operation has uncovered. The National Post had reported yesterday that "In one communique, a senior rebel boss complained that Canadians were not doing enough to support the fight.'

The National Post further states that "Colonel Soosai, who commands the rebel navy wing known as the Sea Tigers, told three Canadian Tamil activists he was frustrated about the "insufficient activities of the branches in Canada and England," according to a 12-page report.

The Tigers had been "expecting a huge sum" of money and Tamil activists should "act accordingly," says the document, written by the Tamil Tigers International Coordination Centre but seized by RCMP counter-terrorism officers in Toronto, the newspaper said.

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